


Unwritten

by dwj



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:53:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23838658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dwj/pseuds/dwj
Summary: After saving the day once again, The Doctor isn't quite ready to say goodbye just yet. Post Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 25





	Unwritten

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I hope everyone's doing okay, it's been a long month and despite hoping to get more up it's been a tough one. This is a bit different and something i've had an idea for ever since the episode aired, they had a lot of chemistry and it didn't seem like much of a stretch given The Doctors rep for historical figures. I actually really enjoyed writing this so please let me know what you think, it's written as a one shot but if you'd like to see more from this pairing then let me know.
> 
> As a quick side note, this is completely separate from my other post ep fics.  
> Enjoy!

**Unwritten**

She hadn't planned on going back, they had saved the day once again and set off on to their next adventure like always. But she couldn't shake the desire to return, it wasn't uncommon for The Doctor to admire the historical figures they met whilst travelling, but this was different, it felt different. Tesla understood her in ways others couldn't and she knew there was more to him than the history books foretold. She couldn't change his future even if she wanted to and she'd also have to make sure no snippets were dropped accidentally during her visits but otherwise what else could go wrong.. Hanging out with Nikola Tesla? brilliant.

It wasn't as though she could give Tesla a ring to see if it was convenient for her to stop by, she had no way of knowing whether her spontaneous drop in would be well received or not but she hoped for the former. She had waited until her fam were back in Sheffield for the day, when asked what she would be doing whilst they were home she had given them a vague answer about TARDIS maintenance. It wasn't _technically_ a lie, there was maintenance that needed taking care of that she would more than likely do when she returned from visiting Tesla. The Doctor felt as though if she told them where she was going they would react one of two ways, either wanting to come along or disapproving of her wish to revisit and as much as she loved her fam, she wasn't particularly keen for either of those outcomes.

She had set the date to be approximately a month after their ordeal with the Skithra, there was little reasoning behind her decision and specifics had never been her strong suit so if she managed to arrive any time around her desired date then it would be a well earned ten points to her.

 _Twenty seven days._ Not bad. Worth a solid eight points.

There was a secluded side alley a few streets away from Tesla's building, she didn't want to risk Edison coming across the TARDIS and wondering why she was back in town so it seemed like the ideal place to park. It didn't take her long to walk from the alley over to the building but it was long enough for mild nerves to set in. She supposed she could just pretend she was checking in to make sure there had been no other strange goings on since the Skithra, there hadn't been, and The Doctor knew that, but Tesla didn't.

She had strolled right through the front door only to be met by Tesla's secretary, _what was her name again? Something beginning with D.. Dora? Doris? Dorothy!_

The Doctor had recounted the story she made up on her way over about performing a simple check in to make sure things were all running smoothly and alien free. Dorothy had confirmed what she already knew but welcomed her to speak to Tesla also if she so wished.

As hoped, Tesla's reaction to seeing her had been a positive one. After a brief explanation as to why she was back, he had asked whether she had time to stick around for a cup of tea and he could show her some of the things he had been working on since he had last seen her.

She had very much enjoyed listening to him talk about his new projects and inventions, most of which she already knew from the history books but hearing it firsthand was something else entirely. When it came time for her to finally leave, The Doctor had wondered whether this would be the true final time she would see Tesla but to her mild surprise he had apparently been wondering the same thing.

"Will I see you again Doctor?"

The question made her pause, there was no reason why they couldn't see each other again. The Doctor could never allow him a trip on her TARDIS, mainly out of risk for his safety but she was quite happy to hang around his lab and watch him work, maybe assist _slightly_ with tasks that wouldn't change history as she knew it. It had been refreshing to take a back seat for once, to watch someone else work whilst she simply enjoyed just being there.

"If you like."

She said after a moment, her tone feigned nonchalance but the smile she wore gave her away. Tesla returned her smile and it was shortly after that she had bid him goodbye, promising to return _soon._

* * *

The promise was kept and a new friendship was born. The Doctor made her visits when the fam were either visiting home or asleep on the TARDIS and tried her best to keep it fairly regular, usually every couple of weeks in Tesla's timeline.

Tesla was always happy to see her despite their unconventional schedule and it became somewhat a tradition for him to offer her tea upon arrival before filling her in on what he'd been up to in her absence.

* * *

This time was no different. The Doctor waited until her fam had all gone to bed before setting course for New York, nineteen oh three. She parked the TARDIS in the same alley she always did before heading straight over to see Tesla.

Walking straight through the front door as she always did, The Doctor stopped when she saw Dorothy sat at her desk.

"Doctor, you're back."

The secretary's tone held a hint of surprise but she wore a warm smile nonetheless.

"Here I am, Tesla in?" The Doctor asked with a smile of her own, she had little doubt he wouldn't be and was already inching closer to his office before she even had a chance to answer.

Dorothy nodded and The Doctor continued, stopping outside the office she knocked on the door and waited for acknowledgement from the other side before opening the door and stepping inside.

Tesla was sat behind his desk which was covered in various papers, _no surprise there_ , he looked up when he heard the door open and after a brief look of surprise when he realised who his visitor was a wide smile stretched across his face.

"Hope I'm not interrupting." The Doctor gestured to the papers littering his desk as she walked further into the room.

With a shake of his head, Tesla stood and rounded his desk so he could greet The Doctor properly.

"No, no, just something new I'm working on, I call it the bladeless turbine." He explained.

Tesla loved talking about his inventions and The Doctor loved hearing about them, most of her visits consisted of them discussing in detail his favourite inventions and his plans for the future. It saddened The Doctor to see him so full of hope when she knew of the u turn his life would eventually take but she kept her thoughts to herself during her time there and always pushed him to keep going when he had his doubts about anything he was working on.

"Would you like some tea?" He asked after a moment, it was how they kicked off every one of her visits and it was something she had come to very much look forward to.

"I'd love one, thanks." She told him with a smile.

Tesla nodded and walked back over to his desk to collect the papers he had piled there before turning back to Doctor.

"Shall we head to the lab?" He suggested, gesturing to the door she had come through only minutes before.

* * *

They spent the next few hours in his lab, Tesla had a few minor experiments he wanted to try out to assist him with his new invention idea and was keen to hear about what adventures The Doctor had been on with her friends since she had last stopped by. She strayed away from the stories that would cause too many questions like her run in with Ruth and instead filled him in on their trip to an alien market they had taken just a few days prior. He was always fascinated by her stories and had asked more than once if he could assist her on one of these adventures someday.

She wanted nothing more than to show him the wonders of the universe, it had crossed her mind more times than it had his but she had to remind herself of who this man was. People weren't safe with The Doctor, she had tried time and time again to push her fam away in order to keep them safe but they fought back every time. If she was to take Tesla out of his time, she would be risking changing history and as much as she wanted to give her friend just a glimpse of what she saw everyday, she just could not take that risk.

The Doctor had gotten caught up and lost track of time, when her fam were back home she didn't have to worry about keeping a check on how long she was with Tesla but on this occasion they were on the TARDIS and having not told them what she was doing, she was risking them finding out if she didn't head back soon.

"Sorry Nikola, I should get going before the fam wake up." She announced with a sigh, _time sure did fly when you were having a good time._

Tesla was sifting through his papers to see if his experiment results matched what he had theorised, after trading stories they had resided into a comfortable silence of simply enjoying each others company whilst he worked.

Looking over at The Doctor when she spoke, he gave a nod of understanding and put his papers in a pile on the table in front of him.

"Very well."

The Doctor stood from her seat and walked over to where he was standing, she always hated goodbyes.

Tesla placed a hand on The Doctor's upper arm, he offered her a smile which she returned and a gentle squeeze.

"It was nice to see you again, Doctor."

She nodded in agreement, it was nice, more than nice in fact, she enjoyed the time they spent together but each time they said goodbye it was a reminder that one day it would be goodbye for the final time.

Tesla let his hand fall but didn't move away from The Doctor, she vaguely registered his gaze flicker down to her lips before he leaned in and kissed her. It was simple but sweet and she allowed herself to get lost in the moment for a short time, they both inched closer, Tesla hesitantly reached out to rest a hand on her cheek whilst The Doctor lay hers against his chest.

It was The Doctor who eventually made the first move to end the moment, with a small sigh she pulled away. They had shared glances that suggested their feelings for each other were teetering on the edge of just friendship but this was the first time they had acted on said feelings.

"I really should be going." Disappointment laced her voice as she spoke, she had decided to make her visit whilst the fam were going through their sleep cycle and didn't want to risk not making it back before they woke up.

Tesla nodded, he brushed a strand of hair behind her ear before lowering his hand and taking a step back. The action made her smile, they were both smart enough to know that nothing _real_ could ever come to fruition from these visits but it didn't mean they couldn't enjoy themselves and make the most of it.

"When will I see you again?"

They never set a specific date or time for her visits, mainly because The Doctor had never been particularly good at getting anywhere on time. He would always ask the same question at the end of their time together and she would always give him the same answer, it was her way of letting him know that she _would_ be coming back.

"Soon."


End file.
